Those who break law will be penalized, Vlad Filat

Prime Minister Vlad Filat on August 17 called on the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Security and Information Service, the Ministry of the Interior and the Center for Combating Corruption and Economic Crime to monitor and investigate all the illegal actions taken by some of the state institutions with the aim of boycotting the September 5 constitutional referendum, Info-Prim Neo reports. “Moldova is a state of law and every citizen has the right to state one’s opinion by vote. But the law must be observed and implemented, including the law on the September 5 referendum. However, I see and am informed that some of the institutions get involved and call on the voters not to take part in the referendum, misinforming them,” Filat said. The Premier requested the mentioned institutions to provide from today information about the way in which the law on the September 5 referendum is being implemented in every district and at every mayor’s office. “The law is law and it should be obeyed by everyone, while those who break it will be penalized,” Vlad Filat said. In Tuesday’s meeting of the Cabinet, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Iurie Leanca provided information about the opening of the additional polling places abroad. He said verbal notes have been sent to all the 12 countries where additional polling places will be set up. Five of them gave immediate positive answers, while six answered verbally and recommended the Moldovan authorities to cooperate with the authorities of the settlements where the polling places will be opened. Only the Government of Canada provided no answer, thought this country was in favor initially. “We submitted the list of polling places and the approximate number of ballots to the CEC,” Leanca said. He also said that 130,000 ballots were asked for the 78 additional polling places, by 1,600 for each of them. This is by 300 ballots fewer than in the 2009 elections. Iurie Leanca also said that the Council of Europe and the EU Delegation to Moldova will finance the trip of 20 teams of monitors abroad. They will supervise the voting process abroad. The international organizations will also send 20 foreign monitors to the September 5 referendum in Moldova.